Ultra-processed Foods Increase Cancer Risk

1 min

A recent analysis by researchers from the University of Bristol and the International Agency for Research on Cancer suggests that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) — such as soft drinks, packaged snacks, sweets, packaged breads and buns, reconstituted meat products, and pre-prepared frozen meals — may be linked to an increased risk of developing certain cancers, including those affecting the mouth, throat, and esophagus. The investigators reviewed data from 450,111 adults enrolled in a larger, ongoing study over an approximately 14-year period and found that a 10 percent increase in UPF consumption was associated with a 23 percent higher risk of head and neck cancer and a 24 percent higher risk of esophageal cancer.

While UPFs have been previously been linked to weight gain and increased body fat, this study discovered that body fat only partially explained the relationship between UPF consumption and these specific cancers. The authors propose that other factors such as additives, artificial sweeteners, and contaminants from food packaging might contribute to this association and emphasize the need for further research to explore additional mechanisms connecting UPFs to cancer risk.

Source
link.springer/article/10.1007/s00394-023-03270-1